Activity Introduction
Quick summary: Students explore the relationships between fire, biodiversity and the Australian tropical savanna. In groups, students research a specific ecosystem of the Australian tropical savanna and describe the climate, vegetation, animals and how fire affects the area. Students will complete a research worksheet, create an annotated illustration and present their findings to the class.
Learning intentions:
- Students understand features of the Australian tropical savanna
- Students recognise some of the ways flora and fauna are uniquely adapted to specific ecosystems.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 7 Science:
- Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)
- Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE121)
- Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)
Year 8 Science:
- Scientific knowledge changes as new evidence becomes available, and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people’s understanding of the world (ACSHE134)
- Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)
- Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE136)
- Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148)
Syllabus outcomes: SC4-11PW, SC4-13ES, SC4-15LW, SC4-12ES.
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding.
Cross-curriculum priority:
Relevant parts of Year 7 Science achievement standards: Students describe situations where scientific knowledge from different science disciplines and diverse cultures has been used to solve a real-world problem. They communicate their ideas, methods and findings using scientific language and appropriate representations.
Relevant parts of Year 8 Science achievement standards: Students explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a scientific idea and describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. They use appropriate language and representations to communicate science ideas, methods and findings in a range of text types.
Topic: Cool Burning, Indigenous Education.
Unit of work: Cool Burning – Secondary.
Time required: 120 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – introduce new content and assist with student research.
Resources required:
- Device capable of presenting a website to the class
- Student Worksheet – one copy per student
- Factsheet – About The Savanna.
Related professional development:
Keywords: Savanna, tropical, climate, weather, distribution, vegetation, fire, conservation.
Special thanks to:
Fish River Station, John Daly, Dr Jeremy Russell-Smith, Peter Jacklyn, Peter McConchie, Dr Tommy George, David Claudie, Dale Musgrave, Carolyn George and Victor Steffensen.
Cool Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Bennelong Foundation in updating these lessons.
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Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum. There is great diversity in histories and cultures among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia. This resource includes investigations into and information about some of them. It has an emphasis, but not an exclusive one, on the histories and cultural practices of the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory. It is underpinned by consultation with Aboriginal communities in various parts of Australia.
Teacher Preparation
